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Recommended for: Grades 6-8

Lesson Plan: Drawing Conclusions - Miss Navajo

Lesson Plan
Standards

Print Lesson Plan

Overview

Students watch a video segment that documents the Navajo language speaking portion of the Miss Navajo Nation beauty contest. After watching the video, students determine one of the main responsibilities of the winner of Miss Navajo Nation and use details from the video to support this conclusion. Students complete graphic organizers and write paragraphs that highlight these details and explain their inferences.

Why is this an important concept?

Drawing conclusions is a higher order thinking skill that must be developed overtime. When learners are able to connect the details in a text and make an inference regarding the author's intent, they are utilizing specific details to come to that conclusion. Drawing conclusions leads to the development of overall reading comprehension skills.

Grade Level:

6-8

Suggested Time

(2) 40-minute periods

Media Resources

Miss Navajo QuickTime Video

Materials

Miss Navajo Questions handout
Miss Navajo Graphic Organizer handout
Miss Navajo Drawing Conclusions rubric

The Lesson

Part I: Learning Activity

Day One

Provide the purpose for this activity: to determine one of the main responsibilities of the winner of the Miss Navajo Nation contest. Students complete graphic organizers and write detailed paragraphs that state their conclusion regarding the main responsibilities. Next, they outline the details from the video segment that support their inferences.

Note: Prior to beginning the lesson, it may be useful to consult the Independent Lens website to gather additional background information on the Miss Navajo Nation contest and Navajo culture: http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/missnavajo/missnmissa.html.

1. Check for prior knowledge by asking students to provide reasons why language is important and then discuss.

2. Next distribute the Miss Navajo Questions handout. As students watch the video segment, provide a focus by asking them to listen carefully to the interviews with the former Miss Navajo pageant winners. Ask students to determine why the Navajo language speaking segment of the pageant, among many skills, plays a vital role in determining the winner. Show the segment twice so students can review it and confirm the details they included in their answers.

3. After viewing, discuss the segment with students. Ask them to share their answers with the class during a teacher-guided question and answer session. Focus on the video details students use to support and explain their answers. Students should add to their answers as needed.

4. Distribute the Miss Navajo Graphic Organizer handout. Assist students in completing this graphic organizer by telling them to consider the details from the interviews with many of the former Miss Navajo winners about their experiences while growing up on reservations and being required to attend boarding schools run by missionaries and the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs. Have students watch the video segment a third time and use details from the video as well as information from the Miss Navajo Questions handout to complete the graphic organizer.

5. After a third viewing, discuss students’ conclusions regarding the main responsibility of Miss Navajo.Ask them to share their conclusions with the class during a teacher-guided question and answer session. Focus on the video details students use to support and explain their conclusions. Students add to their answers as needed.

6. Collect question handouts and graphic organizers and review them before Day 2. Meet with students who need extra help outlining the details needed to support their conclusions before the Day 2 lesson.

Part II: Assessment

Day Two

1. Return students’ question handouts and graphic organizers. Tell students they will be writing a detailed paragraph that states the main responsibility of Miss Navajo Nation. They should provide specific details from the video to support their conclusion.

2. Distribute copies of the Miss Navajo Drawing Conclusions rubric and discuss so students know the expectations of the assignment.

3. Students write rough drafts of their paragraphs using the
questions handout, the graphic organizer handout and the rubric as a guide.

4. Students exchange paragraph drafts to peer-edit and discuss needed revisions and/or additions.

5. After making needed revisions, students complete final versions of paragraphs and hand in with the first drafts and rubrics for a grade.

For students who need additional guidance:

Meet with students between lessons to support their note-taking and writing skills.
If needed, arrange for students to watch the video segment again.
Direct students to use listed websites to find additional details about the Navajo Nation.
Review the proofreading guidelines and detailed instruction on how to properly format a paragraph on websites for writers.

For advanced students:

Students can construct an essay that supports the conclusion they draw regarding the main responsibility of Miss Navajo Nation.
Student teams can debate what they believe is the most important responsibility using details from the video segment and their graphic organizers, questions and paragraphs.